Schefflera plant named ‘Fan’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Schefflera arboricola  plant named ‘Fan’, characterized by its upright plant habit: rapid growth rate; closely-spaced leaves and parted palmate leaves that are palmately veined, very glossy and dark green which give a dense full appearance.

Description: Schefflera arboricola ‘Fan’.

Latin name and variety denomination: The present invention is a new anddistinct cultivar of Schefflera plant, botanically known as, Scheffleraarboricola and herein referred to by the name ‘Fan’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar was discovered by the inventors in a controlledenvironment in Homestead, Fla. United States in September 2003 as anaturally occurring mutation of Schefflera arboricola. The new cultivarwas observed as a single plant in a group of plants of Scheffleraarboricola. Compared to plants of Schefflera arboricola, the plants ofthe new Schefflera are denser having closely-spaced and parted palmateleaves that are palmately veined, very glossy and dark green.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken inthe controlled environment in Elfin Forest, Calif., United States, hasshown that the unique features of this new Schefflera are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

The new Schefflera has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits havebeen repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of plants of the new Schefflera. These characteristicsin combination distinguish the new Schefflera as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Rapid growth rate.    -   3. Parted palmate leaves that are palmately veined and closely        spaced.    -   4. Very glossy and dark green leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance ofthe new Schefflera, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in color reproductions of this type.

FIG. 1 is a photograph side perspective view of a typical potted plantof the new Schefflera.

FIG. 2 is a close up photograph of a typical leaf of the new Scheffleraplant. Leaf colors in the photograph may differ from the actual colorsdue to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Color designations are madefor mature plants. The following observations and measurements describefour month old plants in 25 cm diameter containers grown in ElfinForest, Calif., USA under commercial practice in a translucentplastic-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 80°F. and 64° F. respectively. Average light level was 1,500 foot candles.

-   Botanical classification: Schefflera arboricola cultivar ‘Fan’.-   Parentage: The parent plant is unnamed Schefflera arboricola for    which no patent has been identified (unpatented). The cultivar is a    naturally occurring mutation of Schefflera arboricola.-   Propagation type: By terminal cuttings.-   Time to initiate roots: Winter: about 28 days at 70° F.,-   Summer: About 21 days at 76° F.-   Rooting habit: Numerous, fleshy and thick.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant shape.—Mostly erect and upright, inverted triangle,            symmetrical.        -   Growth habit.—Bushy, dense and full.        -   Plant type.—Tropical evergreen tree.        -   Plant height.—About 300 to 400 cm from soil level to top of            leaf plane.        -   Plant diameter.—About 100 cm.        -   Plant vigor/crop time.—High rapid growth rate under optimum            temperature. Appropriate for 10 to 25 cm and larger            containers. About 20 weeks are required to produce 100 cm            tall plants.-   Stem description/shape: Nearly round having an average diameter of    about 8.0 mm to about 12.0 mm with internode length of about 2.5 to    about 4.5 cm. Color: R.H.S. 144A. Schefflera arboricola “Fan”    exhibits strong apical dominance and does not generally produce    lateral branches.-   Petioles: Average length about 15 cm having an average diameter of    about 2.5 mm, color R.H.S. 144B.-   Foliage description: Leaves: The leaves are arranged alternately on    the stem with a single leaf per lateral stem. Shape: parted palmate    having on average from 5 to 8 tips per leaf and are palmately    veined. The average leaf varies on cultural conditions. Leaf length    is from about 10.0 cm to about 13.0 cm. The leaf tip is cuspidate,    the leaf base is sagittate-peltate and leaf margins are palmately    lobed. Diameter: about 11 to about 16 cm. Texture: leathery, thick,    smooth, very glossy, glabrous, and durable. Color: upper surface:    glossy, dark green, R.H.S. 139A, Lower surface: R.H.S. 146A. Upper    and lower surface venation: R.H.S. 145A.-   Flower description: Flowers have not been observed on plants of the    new Schefflera.-   Disease/insect resistance: This Schefflera has no special disease    resistance as compared with other Scheffleras observed to date on    plants grown under commercial shadehouse and greenhouse conditions.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parent Plant Foliage Description S. arboricolaCultivar Leaf Shape: Obovate, with Parted Palmate, Acuminate tip with 5to 8 tips on average Average Leaf Diameter: 7.0 to 10.0 cm 11.0 to 16 cmLeaflets: 7 to 8 up to 15 no Leaflets Petiole Length: 10.0 to 15.0 cm 15cm on average Internode Length: 2.0 to 3.0 cm 2.5 to 4.5 cm

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Schefflera arboricola plant named ‘Fan’, as illustrated and described characterized particularly as to uniqueness of a single parted palmate leaf per lateral stem having on average 5 to 8 tips. 